Chevrolet Malibu

Sales of the 1980 Chevrolet Malibu fell due tocompetition from imports and the new Chevrolet Citation.The 1980 Malibu series included this Malibu Coupe.

The 1980 Chevrolet Malibu started out the decade of the 1980s with few changes, though engine choices were shuffled a little.

The base V-6 for the 1980 Chevrolet Malibu displaced 229 cubic inches, up from 200 the year before. Horsepower increased from 94 to 115, enough to shave 1.5 seconds from the Malibu's 0-60-mph time -- which was still rather leisurely at around 17 seconds.

Optional again for the 1980 Chevrolet Malibu were a 267-cubic-inch V-8 with 125 horsepower and a 305 V-8, now with 155 horsepower (down five). The "hot rod" 350 with 170 horsepower offered in 1979 was dropped. A "three-on-the-tree" manual transmission was standard, but most 1980 Chevrolet Malibu cars got the optional three-speed automatic.

Optional again for 1980 Chevrolet Malibu V-8 models was the F-41 sports suspension, which made the normally soft Malibu into a fair-handling family car.

Once again, two-door coupes, four-door sedans, and five-door wagons were offered in base and Classic trim levels. Sedans were most popular, and Classics outsold base models.

Prices rose about $600 -- better than 10 percent -- for the 1980 Chevrolet Malibu. That raised the price of the most popular model, the Classic sedan, to about $6,000. Higher prices in combination with the fuel crunch and Chevy's own Citation competition, forced Malibu sales to drop: from 377,000 in 1979 to 278,000 for 1980. However, that still made Malibu a strong midsize entry.

The 1980 Chevrolet Malibu series included this base wagon model.

1980 Chevrolet Malibu Facts

Model

Weight range (lbs.)

Price range (new)

Number built

Malibu

2,996-3,307

$5,502-$6,149

278,350

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